Neighborhoods: Kirkwood

The Kolman family loves the urban appeal and small-town friendliness of Kirkwood. Stephanie and Brian Kolman have four children, Charlotte, 10; Spencer, 8; Ethan, 7; and Chloe, 4. The family’s pets, Ashby and Murphy, are rescue dogs. Stephanie is a stay-at-home mom and freelance architectural designer, while Brian is VP of Brewer Machine and Gear. Their children attend Westchester Elementary and Kirkwood United Methodist Preschool. Stephanie filled us in on her family’s favorite things about their neighborhood.

What’s the best-kept secret in Kirkwood?

The diversity of small business in Kirkwood—there are amazing places for gifts, clothing, garden equipment, ethnic food and stationery. While shopping, I am always amazed to see how many out-of-town visitors have caught on to this secret!

What are your favorite gathering spots in your neighborhood?

We really enjoy a fun meal at Amigos Cantina with the kids. On nice days, we take the kids to Kirkwood Park or Pioneer Park to meet with friends. We also love to attend Pioneers’ football games! It is a good way to see everyone from all the different neighborhoods in Kirkwood.

What’s your family’s favorite neighborhood tradition?

During the holidays, we always meet friends at a local Kirkwood restaurant, then spend the afternoon picking out the perfect tree at the Kirkwood Farmer’s Market. The Kirkwood Fourth of July fireworks are fun for us because we can see them from our back deck, which makes our house a popular place for friends.

Neighborhood Notes

Rose Etzkorn, Prudential Alliance Realtors

What homebuyers love about Kirkwood is that it is like living in ‘small town USA’ within a big city. They have a choice of historic or newer homes in a town where everything is within walking distance. We have a beautiful active train station run by volunteers, a grain and feed store, a bakery that smells like it did when you were a kid, and annual parades where residents sit on the curb and wave flags!